The Evening Standard Theatre Awards were announced on November 24, 2008. The longlist was revealed on November 4, 2008 and the shortlist on November 7, 2008.
Winners, shortlist and longlist
= winner
Best Play
Shortlisted
- Black Watch by Gregory Burke (National Theatre of Scotland at the Barbican Theatre)
- Now Or Later by Christopher Shinn (Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs)
The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall (Live Theatre and National Theatre co-production)
Longlisted
- Black Watch by Gregory Burke (National Theatre of Scotland at the Barbican Theatre)
- Days Of Significance by Roy Williams (Royal Shakespeare Company at the Tricycle Theatre)
- Her Naked Skin by Rebecca Lenkiewicz (National Theatre Olivier)
- Never So Good by Howard Brenton (National Theatre Lyttelton)
- Now Or Later by Christopher Shinn (Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs)
- The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall (Live Theatre and National Theatre co-production)
Sydney Edwards Award for Best Director
Shortlisted
- Michael Boyd for The History Cycle (Royal Shakespeare Company at the Roundhouse)
- Michael Grandage for Othello (Donmar Warehouse), The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse), Ivanov (Donmar West End at the Wyndham's Theatre)
- John Tiffany for Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland at the Barbican Theatre)
Longlisted
- Lucy Bailey for Timon Of Athens (Shakespeare's Globe)
- Michael Boyd for The History Cycle (Royal Shakespeare Company at the Roundhouse)
- Rupert Goold for Six Characters In Search Of An Author (Gielgud Theatre), No Man's Land (Duke of York's Theatre), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Almeida Theatre)
- Michael Grandage for Othello (Donmar Warehouse), The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse), Ivanov (Donmar West End at the Wyndham's Theatre)
- Katie Mitchell for The Trojan Women (National Theatre Lyttelton)
- Emma Rice for Brief Encounter (Kneehigh at the Cinema Haymarket)
- Alan Rickman for Creditors (Donmar Warehouse)
- John Tiffany for Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland at the Barbican Theatre)
Best Actor
Shortlisted
- Kenneth Branagh, Ivanov (Donmar West End at the Wyndham's Theatre)
- David Calder, King Lear (Shakespeare's Globe)
- Chiwetel Ejiofor, Othello (Donmar Warehouse)
Longlisted
- Kenneth Branagh, Ivanov (Donmar West End at the Wyndham's Theatre)
- David Calder, King Lear (Shakespeare's Globe)
- Adam Godley, Rain Man (Apollo Theatre)
- Chiwetel Ejiofor, Othello (Donmar Warehouse)
- Will Keen, Waste (Almeida Theatre)
- Simon Russell Beale, Much Ado About Nothing (National Theatre Olivier)
- Jonathan Slinger, Richard II/Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company at the Roundhouse)
- Kevin Spacey, Speed-The-Plow (Old Vic)
Best Actress
Shortlisted
- Lesley Manville, Her Naked Skin (National Theatre Olivier)
- Margaret Tyzack, The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse)
- Penelope Wilton, The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse)
Longlisted
- Lesley Manville, Her Naked Skin (National Theatre Olivier)
- Helen McCrory, Rosmersholm (Almeida Theatre)
- Phoebe Nicholls, Waste (Almeida Theatre)
- Lesley Sharp, Harper Regan (National Theatre Cottesloe)
- Margaret Tyzack, The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse)
- Penelope Wilton, The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse)
Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical
Shortlisted
- La Cage Aux Folles, Menier Chocolate Factory and Playhouse Theatre
- Marguerite, Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Street Scene, The Opera Group, Young Vic and Watford Palace Theatre co-production
Longlisted
- La Cage Aux Folles, Menier Chocolate Factory and Playhouse Theatre
- Eurobeat, Novello Theatre
- Jersey Boys, Prince Edward Theatre
- Marguerite, Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Street Scene, The Opera Group, Young Vic and Watford Palace Theatre co-production
Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright
Shortlisted
- Tarell Alvin McCraney, Brothers Size and In the Red and Brown Water
- Anupama Chandrasekhar, Free Outgoing (Royal Court)- Runner up
- Bola Agbaje, Gone Too Far! (Royal Court) - Runner up